Assigsoll to eagle



(Model.) Fl

Indicator Look. No. 236,349. Patented Jan);d 4, 1881.

WITNBSSES INVENTOR ATTORNEYS.

NJETERS, FHDTQUTHOGRAFHER. WASHINGTON, C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK NV. MIX, OF TERRYVILLE, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO EAGLE LOCK COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

INDICATOR-LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 236,349, dated January 4, 1881. Application led September 15, 1880. (Model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that l, FRANK \V. MIX, ot' Terryville, in the county of Litchfield and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and Improved Indicator-Lock; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description ot' the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specifica-tion, in which- Figure 1 is a face view of the lock. Fig. 2 is an inside view of the faceplate removed and carrying the obscuring-disk. Fig. 3 is a crosssection through the line x x of Fig. 2. Fig. t is a view of the lock with the parts shown in Fig. 2 removed. Fig. 5 is a view of the boltwork ot' the lock, with the dial devices and middle plate shown in Fig. 4 removed.

My invention relates to certain improve.

ments in indicator-locks of that type patented by me September E), 1879, the same being designed to indicate any surreptitious opening of the lock by a key in the hands of unauthorized persons by causing' the act of unlocking to et't'ect a change in a combination of symbols.

My present invent'Qn consists, first, in the novel construction i l parts for preventing the opening of the lock and then restoring the indicator-dials to their former positions by turning the key back, the same consisting, mainly, of an elbow-lever constructed so that one end shall form the tumbler and be provided with a detent for preventing' back movement ofthe key, while the other end is constructed in the nature of a hook, which co-operates with the bolt to hold the shackle-bar.

The invention also consists in the peculiar construction and arrangement of an obscuringdisk, which closes the key-hole and openings in the face-plate to prevent the entrance of dirt, rain, &c.

In the drawings, A represents the back plate 5 B, Fig. 4, an intermediate plate, and C the outer tace-plate of my lock. Between the back plate, A, and the intermediate plate, B, are arranged the locking devices proper, which embody one feature of my present invention. Between the intermediate plate and the face-plate C are arranged the indicator devices, which are substantially the same as shown in my said patent, and the obscuringdisk D, which constitutes the other feature ot' my invention.

The locking devices (see Fig. 5) consist ot two (more or less) sliding bolts, E, which are Slotted, and are guided by a stud, a, and screw l), and are 'forced into engagement with the shackle-bar F by springs c, and are thrown back by the key-bit. Gr are two (mcreorless) elbow-levers, which rest in alternate planes with the bolt E, and are pivoted upon the stud ay as a fulcrum. The upper ends of theselevers are formed into hooks or catches, which enter a notch in the shackle-bar and co-operate with the hooks of the bolts to hold said shackle-bar fast. The other ends are fashioned into tumblers, which have lugs d, which, when raised bythekey-bit to a larger portion ot' the slot in the bolts, permit the bolt to be thrown back by the key. These tumblers are pressed down by springs e, and upon their lower edges are formed one or more teeth or detents, j', which, when the key-bit has been turned a certain distance, t'all behind the same and prevent the key from being turned back. In locating the tooth or detent it is so relatively arranged that it shall drop behind the key-bit before the key-bitshall throw the bolt or actuate the dial mechanism.

Just above theintermediate plate, B, are arranged the indicator-dials and actuating' mechanism, consisting ofthe annular dial H', having teeth upon itsinner periphery, a secondary dial-wheel, H2, arranged within the annular dial and geared to it, and a smaller tertiary dialwheel, H3, gearing into the secondary wheel. This train of wheels is actuated by a vibrating lever, I, carrying a pawl which engages with the teeth ot the annular dial, and the latter is held to its adjusted position by a lug, g, which is carried by the subjacent bolt and rises through a slot in the intermediate plate, so as to engage with the teeth ot' the annular dial, to hold the train from ljoltin g awa-y from its adjustment. In this dial mechanism it will be seen that I employ two ditt'erent wheels within the annular dial, which are geared directly together; but in other respects this mechanism does notditi'er from that shown in my said prior patent.

The outer face-plate, C, is constructed with Ico openings for the display of the combination of figures or letters, and has also a keyhole in the same. Now, to prevent the introduction of rain, snow, or dirt through these openings, which might affect the operative character of the lock, I place between the dial mechanism and its outer or face plate an obscuring-disk, D, which is pivoted concentrically to the said face-plate. The face-plate has also a curved slot, through which projects a knob, t', which allows the obscuring-disk to be turned so that the openings in the same may be turned outl of coincidence with those of the face-plate to close the same against access of rain or dirt.

To prevent the disk from jolting out of place and allowing the openings to be exposed while in transit, l slit the edge of the disk at several points on its periphery, so as to form tongues of, metahj, which are bent a little out of the plane ofthe disk, so as to bind against the faceplate of the lock and hold the disk by frictional contact to its adjustment. In the place of this construction, however, independent frictionsprings may be placed to either bear upon the periphery of the disk or against its sides to secure the same result.

Now, in deiinin g this latter feature of my invention with greater clearness, I would state that I am aware that pivoted plates have been attached to the exterior surface of the faceplates ot' locks in various ways to close the keyhole, and I do not claim such plate when thus externally applied.

My lock is designed mainlyfor the mail service,wherethe bags are constantly beingthrown upon the ioor and banged and battered about, and the location of the rotary disk inside the face-plate ot the lock is designed to adapt my lock to the special exigencies of this use, for when it is housed by the face-plate it will be seen that it is perfectly protected from blows or such usage as would be liable to open it or bend it into inoperative shape.

Again, I am aware that a rectilinearly-sliding plate or bolt has been arranged on theinside of the face-plate of a lock. My lock is distinctive with respect to this, in that the obscuring-disk is combined with a circular faceplate, and is concentrically pivoted thereto inside the same, and lls the whole area of the face-plate, so as to forni a re-entorce backing to the face, which gives additional strength to the lockcase in protecting the indicator mechanisin.

Touching the part Gr, Iwould also state that I ani aware that it is not broadly new to engage the shackle from the opposite side ofthe shackle from the bolt, and that a detent for preventing back motion ot' the key has also been heretofore used, and I therefore only claim for this feature the elbow-lever G, made in one piece, with its upper end adapted to engage with the shackle-bar, and its lower and horizontal end acting as a tumbler, and also as a detent for preventing back motion of the key.

Having thus described niy invention, what I claim as new is l. In combination with the sliding bolt and the shackle-bar of a lock, the elbow-lever G, having its upper end formed into a hook for engagement with the shacklebar, and its lower end formed, in one piece with the upper end, into a tum bler engaging with the bolt, and having a tooth or detent for preventing back movement of the key, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the circular faceplate G, having slot D therein, ot' a circular obscuring-plate, D, covering the full area ot' the face-plate, and having pin or knob and pivoted concentrically to theface-plate between the latter and the mechanism ot' the lock, for the double purpose of closing the key-hole and indicator-oriiices and re-ent'orcing the whole face of the lock, as described.

FRANK IV. MIX. Witnesses H. B. PLUMB, R. J. PLUMB. 

